​Research vessel 'Emma Bardán' begins 'BIOMAN 2017' campaign in Bay of Biscay

This campaign, which is being carried out in conjunction the oceanographic vessel 'Ramon Margalef', from the Spanish Institute of Oceanography, will end on 30 May at the port of Pasajes.

The main activities to be carried out on board the vessel Emma Bardán will be pelagic fishing to determine levels of anchovy roe and biological samples of the species, specifically aimed at studying growth and reproduction.

An ongoing register will be kept using acoustic soundings to estimate anchovy levels, identify fishing grounds and the sighting of possible predators (birds and marine mammals). Data will also be collected on samples of mackerel, samples of hake will be collated and the marine environment in the Bay of Biscay will be studied. The zone of activity will extend from the central Cantabrian Sea to the mouth of the River Garona and the south of Brittany.

Campaigns of this nature are essential to better understand our seas and to guarantee sustainable management and protection of resources in the long term. To this end, the General Secretariat of Fisheries continues to invest efforts in undertaking research campaigns aboard its oceanographic vessels.

Thanks to the collaboration agreement between the General Secretariat of Fisheries and the AZTI Foundation, to facilitate access to and the use of the General Secretariat's vessels and equipment to the research team, it is possible to provide scientists with the best means to make this campaign a success, whilst endeavouring to obtain maximum use of these resources in favour of all institutions.

Fishing and oceanographic research vessels

The oceanographic vessel 'Emma Bardán' is, together with the 'Vizconde de Eza' and the 'Miguel Oliver', one of the three fishing and oceanographic research vessels belonging to the General Secretariat of Fisheries.

The 'Emma Bardán' is the smallest of the three with an overall length of 29 metres and a 7.5-metre beam. However, it is fitted out and equipped for carrying out multidisciplinary campaigns, with two laboratories and is designed to limit noise and vibration, allowing high-quality acoustic fishing research information to be gathered.